Pearson CISM New Attempt

A formalized risk management framework (A) best ensures that risk appetite and risk tolerance are consistently applied during risk treatment decisions (mitigate, transfer, avoid, accept). In CISM risk management, risk appetite must be translated into decision criteria, escalation thresholds, approval authorities, and consistent evaluation methods—all of which are defined and enforced through a framework. Training and awareness (B) support culture, but they do not guarantee that treatment choices align with appetite in a repeatable, auditable way. Quantitative measurement (C) can improve precision, but even strong numbers can be misused without governance rules that tie outcomes to appetite thresholds and approval requirements. Automated KRI monitoring (D) helps track risk conditions, but it primarily supports ongoing monitoring, not the structured decision-making needed in treatment selection. A risk framework is the mechanism that institutionalizes appetite into processes, roles, reporting, and acceptance criteria.

According to the CISM Review Manual, one of the primary roles of the information security manager in application development is to ensure that security is integrated into the SDLC. This means that security requirements, design, testing, deployment, and maintenance are all considered and addressed throughout the application development process. By doing so, the information security manager can help to prevent or mitigate security risks, ensure compliance with standards and regulations, and improve the quality and reliability of the application1

The other options are not as accurate as ensuring security is integrated into the SDLC. Ensuring compliance with industry best practices is a secondary role of the information security manager in application development, as it involves following established guidelines and frameworks for secure application development. However, compliance alone does not guarantee that security is actually implemented in the application. Ensuring enterprise security controls are implemented is a tertiary role of the information security manager in application development, as it involves applying existing policies and procedures for managing and monitoring security activities across the organization. However, enterprise controls alone do not ensure that security is tailored to the specific needs and context of each application. Ensuring control procedures address business risk is a quaternary role of the information security manager in application development, as it involves identifying and assessing potential threats and vulnerabilities that could affect the business objectives and operations of each application. However, business risk alone does not ensure that security measures are aligned with the value proposition and benefits of each application1

References = 1: CISM Review Manual, 16th Edition, ISACA, 2020, pp. 30-31…

The explanation given is: “A BIA is a process that identifies and evaluates the potential effects of natural and man-made events on business operations. It helps to understand how critical systems are interrelated and what their dependencies are. A BIA also helps to determine the RTOs for each system. The other options are not directly related to understanding the relationships between critical systems.”

= Standardization of compliance requirements is the best approach to reduce unnecessary duplication of compliance activities, as it allows for a common understanding of the objectives and expectations of various stakeholders, such as regulators, auditors, customers, and business partners. Standardization also facilitates the alignment of compliance activities with the organization’s risk appetite and tolerance, and enables the identification and elimination of redundant or conflicting controls. References = CISM Review Manual, 27th Edition, page 721; CISM Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Database, 12th Edition, question 952

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